Upon a Chine of Beef

A chine of beef, God save us all,
Far larger than the butcher's stall,
And sturdier than the City-wall.

For this held out until the foe,
By dint of blade and potent blow,
Fell in pell mell; that did not so.

With stomachs sharper than their knives,
They laid about them for their lives;
Well, Eastcheap men, beware your wives.

Enragèd weapons storm it round,
Each seeking for a gaping wound,
That in its gravy it seems drown'd.

Magnanimous flesh, that didst not fall
At first assault, or second maul,
But a third time defied'st them all!

What strength can fate's decree revoke?
It was ordain'd thou shouldst be broke;
Alas! time fells the sturdy oak.

What goodly monuments still appear,
What spondyl-bulwarks are there there,
What palisaded ribs are here!

This bold monument death defies,
Inscribèd thus, 'To mirth here lies
A trophy and a sacrifice'.